Sundance 2021: John and the Hole
sundance 2021Even with an intriguing and promising setup, Pascual Sisto's directorial debut John and the Hole comes in as one of the biggest disappointments of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Following a young boy named John (Charlie Shotwell), who traps his family in an unfinished bunker in the woods behind their house, John and the Hole promises an unsettling psychological thriller only to achieve shockingly little in its 101-minute runtime.
What feels the most frustrating is the filmmaking competence which John and the Hole presents. Director Pascual Sisto worked as a visual artist before taking his voice to the screen and, visually, John and the Hole is quite solid as a result. The cinematography from Paul Ozgur features an incredibly beautiful shot composition that is crafted to show the beauty of the world where these horrible events are taking place. Even in the darkest moments of the film's runtime, the frame decides to focus on the swaying trees and gorgeous house where this family lives in a really beautiful sense. When put in juxtaposition with the uncomfortable story, these decisions create a unique off-putting effect that gives the film an atmospheric edge that helps it stand out.
The acting all around is also quite solid. Charlie Shotwell has impressed previously in supporting roles and, even with the lack of substance he is given from the film’s screenplay, he is strong enough in the leading role of the film. Similar to the cinematography, his performance is quieter and drawn out, which can feel chilling and pull the audience to the edge of their seats. His family, however, are the clear MVPs of the cast. They are the characters who are given the most emotional depth to work with, and Michael C. Hall specifically really steals the show at points. From the fear to the anger as they realise the situation they find themselves in, if there is one set of characters to truly feel alive and interesting it would be them.
Sadly, even with the solid filmmaking, the screenplay coming from Nicolás Giacobone is rather disastrous. Considering Giacobone's previous collaborations with Alejandro González Iñárritu it seems only natural that he would be able to find a unique depth with the project but, sadly, he fails to even find a basic purpose. He seemingly attempts to find a commentary on the modern adolescent experience but fails completely. His screenplay is beyond hollow and boring, mainly due to the perspective he decides to focus on. In 2021, the decision to attempt to capture the struggles of a white kid coming from a wealthy family that treats him with love and respect is frustrating and clearly unneeded. The film never justifies why this kid is acting out the way he does and the feature ends up being a rather distasteful expression of sympathy with white privilege. It is both annoying and unfulfilling, creating a beyond frustrating viewing experience.
The cherry on top is the ending which is downright awful. The film feels empty and boring but the tension continues to build throughout the film’s 101-minute runtime to the point that the audience will still have some sense of hope that the film will end with some purpose or bold statement – but the film fails once again. Both abrupt and confusing in the worst of ways, there is very little to appreciate regarding the film’s plot; at every turn when it has the chance to say something of value, the film fails to find anything worthy to share.
John and the Hole remains one of the most frustrating missteps of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Whilst the feature feels overall hollow, the small moments where it does find a voice come off as distasteful and simply annoying. There is a clear talent coming from director Pascual Sisto, but it is clear he needs to find a new screenwriter who will provide him with worthwhile material.
